Out-of-equilibrium dynamics of a fractal model gel

Using molecular dynamics computer simulations we investigate the dynamics of a gel. We start from a fractal structure generated by the diffusion limited cluster aggregation-deflection algorithm, onto which we then impose an interaction potential consisting of a short-range attraction as well as a long-range repulsion. After relaxing the system at zero temperature, we let it evolve at a fixed finite temperature. Depending on the temperature T we find different scenarios for the dynamics. For T ≳ 0.2 the fractal structure is unstable and breaks up into small clusters which relax to equilibrium. For T ≲ 0.2 the structure is stable and the dynamics slows down with increasing waiting time. At intermediate and low T the mean squared displacement scales as t 2 / 3 and we discuss several mechanisms for this anomalous time dependence. For intermediate T , the self-intermediate scattering function is given by a compressed exponential at small wave vectors and by a stretched exponential at large wave vectors. In contrast, for low T it is a stretched exponential for all wave vectors. This behavior can be traced back to a subtle interplay between elastic rearrangements, fluctuations of chainlike filaments, and heterogeneity.